TL;DR
This is a list of bets we want to take that will help us make progress on validating or invalidating the Fall 23 Product Directions. Each bet listed here will be incubated by Cabin Labs for up to 3 months, at which point it will be spun out into its own proposal if it is on track to continue and reach its goal.
The overall goal of Cabin Labs is to help promote high quality metrics-driven experiments for the DAO by helping new proposals get ready to operate independently as quickly as possible. As Greenlight bets are completed, new bets will be pulled up from the backlog.
Greenlight
These are bets we are ready to begin incubating now.
Software for Network States
TL;DR: Evaluate if there is a market for Network State software by closing a deal for our software stack
- Product Direction: Network Citizens
- Steward: Grin
- Goal: $50,000+ contract
- Timeline: incubate for 3 months, spin out if we get a contract
Grin is attending the Network State Conference, where he is in the first speaking slot pitching our software stack: Census, City Directory, Citizenship, Activity Feed, etc. One of our goals at the conference is to assess the market for network state software. While we believe the market is small-to-nonexistent right now, this is the conference where possible customers for our product will be. We have the best software stack for network state projects, so if there is a market interested in whitelabeling it, this is where we we likely find them and develop a partnership.
Deep Work Club
TL;DR: Create a profitable model for Cabin outposts as places for deep work near cities
- Product Direction: Clubhouse
- Steward: Charlie
- Goal: >$10,000 MRR in <1 year
- Timeline: incubate for 3 months, spin out if it’s on track for goal
The goal of this bet is to attempt to create a low-touch profitable subscription membership model for Cabin outposts. The experiment will be run at Neighborhood Zero, where we will attempt to sell monthly memberships that include access to deep work facilities and limited overnight stays. Charlie has already pre-sold the first monthly membership to begin demonstrating demand. If we can hit $10k+ MRR with this model at Neighborhood Zero, we can begin to expand it to other Cabin outposts in the City Directory, creating a pathway to help properties and Cabin monetize the network city.
Solarpunk Sandbox
TL;DR: Close a $20,000 grant partnership with Artizen to create art, architecture, and content at Cabin outposts
- Product Direction: Clubhouse
- Steward: Jon
- Goal: $20,000 grant
- Timeline: incubate for 3 months, spin out to Artizen to manage the process
The biggest problem Cabin outposts face is demand generation. To help solve this, we want to run an experiment where we partner with Artizen to run a grant round that brings top-notch artists and builders to Cabin neighborhoods. We would pilot at Neighborhood Zero and expand to other neighborhoods that are interested in participating. You can think of it as an evolution of our original Creator Residency program, but with external grant funding and a clearer pipeline of strong candidates (the two biggest issues with our original program). The goals would be to create a playbook for grant funded artist residencies at Cabin outposts and generate a deep bank of content that can be used to promote Cabin experiences.
Supper Clubs
TL;DR: Develop local meetups for Cabin Citizens and the adjacent curious
- Product Direction: Network Citizens
- Steward: Jon
- Goal: 200 participants
- Timeline: incubate for 3 months, then spin out or incorporate into base activities
One of our biggest learnings form the past six months has been that it’s very hard to get people to relocate, but that they are interested in participating in Cabin events where they already live. To test this, we want to crowdsource local dinner party meetups to bring our existing community together and introduce new people to Cabin IRL in their local area. We will be gathering interest for participants and hosts via this form.
On Deck
These are bets that need additional research or support before execution. This is a partial, initial list & we will continue to grow the backlog of projects.
Family Neighborhood Map
TL;DR: Put out bat signals for family-friendly neighborhoods with Cabin community members
- Product Direction: The Neighborhood for Families
- Steward: RFP
- Goal: 30 neighborhoods on map
- Timeline: TBD
We have seen strong interest from the community in The Neighborhood for Families and the initial research on Exploring Villages for Families in Colorado. This experiment would take another step in the direction of this product direction. A possible version would be a map that members of the community can use to tag their family-friendly neighborhoods as a bat signal to other families. In the future, this could monetize via real estate referral fees. Needs more work to flesh out the full plan.
Merch Store
TL;DR: Expand Cabin’s merch offering
- Product Direction: Network Citizens
- Steward: RFP
- Goal: >$2,000 in monthly sales
- Timeline: TBD
We have seen consistent interest from the community in Cabin merch. This should be able to create a solid revenue stream that could support a contributor’s efforts and produce revenue for the DAO. We currently have a very basic General Store at https://store.cabin.city/. This proposal would need someone willing to manage merchandising and inventory management.
Eclipse @ N0
TL;DR: Evaluate effectiveness of Citizen-only events, starting with the April 2024 Eclipse
- Product Direction: Network Citizens
- Steward: RFP
- Goal: $20,000 in revenue
- Timeline: TBD
The April 2024 Eclipse passes directly over Neighborhood Zero, and we’ve gathered interest from over 30 people to come spend a long weekend there to watch it. This proposal needs to be fleshed out to include clear ownership, an event plan, revenue split, etc.
500 Citizens
TL;DR: Get to 500 citizen subscriptions
- Product Direction: Network Citizens
- Steward: RFP
- Goal: $200,000 in revenue
- Timeline: TBD
In Building Cabin's Network City — Cabin, we outlined a roadmap towards 5,040 Citizens. This experiment is about taking steps in the direction of this goal, using our learnings from Network Citizens. We need to clarify the product offering and make becoming a Citizen much easier than it currently is. The path here probably involves building local chapters via Supper Clubs and offering Citizens clearer benefits, like merch and a hospitality exchange network. I am currently doing user research via 1:1 intro calls with community members to explore what this path looks like in more detail.